Manassero is youngest European Tour winner
Source: Agencies |
October 26, 2010, Tuesday
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MATTEO Manassero shot a 4-under 67 in the final round to win the Castello Masters in Spain and claim a place in the history of the European Tour Golf.
At 17 years and 188 days old the Italian teenager is the youngest player to win on the European Tour, beating the record held by Danny Lee of New Zealand, who was 18 years and 113 days old when he won the Johnnie Walker Championship in 2008.
It is the second record of Manassero's short career after he also became the youngest winner - at 16 - of the British Amateur Championship in 2009.
And after winning 330,000 euros (US$460,000), Manassero was at a loss to find a way to celebrate his victory.
"I am too young to have a drink, I am too young to drive so I will not be buying a car and I have not got a girlfriend who would like a present," he said.
"But this was my first chance to win a tournament, which I never thought would come so quickly and to do it is unbelievable. My first aim when I turned professional was to win enough money to keep my card for next year and I achieved that in September."
Manassero started the final round two shots behind overnight leader Gary Boyd of England. But at 16-under he eventually won by four shots from Spain's Ignacio Garrido who shot a 68 to reach 12 under.
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Boyd collapsed in the final round with three poor drives starting on the 15th hole which led to him dropping four late shots and after a 74 he slipped back into a share of third place.
Joost Luiten (68) of the Netherlands and Ireland's Peter Lawrie (70) also finished with a share of third place at 11-under.
In Las Vegas, American Jonathan Byrd won the Las Vegas Open in spectacular fashion on Sunday, an ace at the fourth extra hole giving him a playoff victory over Britain's Martin Laird and Australian Cameron Percy.
Byrd, teeing off first, struck a six-iron at the par-three 17th that bounced once before disappearing into the cup.
"I thought I hit it too far, and I couldn't see anything," Byrd told reporters of his final shot of the tournament.
"To hear the reaction as it went in, I was just in shock. I was trying to be considerate of my playing partners because they had a chance to keep playing, and I didn't want to overreact. I'm numb pretty much."
PGA tour rookie Percy and defending champion Laird both ended up in water off the tee to hand Byrd the title in fading light at the TPC Summerlin.
The trio had finished the 72 regulation holes on 21-under-par 263. Byrd closed with a 68, defending champion Laird carded a 69 and PGA Tour rookie Percy returned a 67.
American Webb Simpson, who led by a shot after 16 holes before double-bogeying the 17th, fired a 68 to share fourth place with fellow American Spencer Levin (66).
At 17 years and 188 days old the Italian teenager is the youngest player to win on the European Tour, beating the record held by Danny Lee of New Zealand, who was 18 years and 113 days old when he won the Johnnie Walker Championship in 2008.
It is the second record of Manassero's short career after he also became the youngest winner - at 16 - of the British Amateur Championship in 2009.
And after winning 330,000 euros (US$460,000), Manassero was at a loss to find a way to celebrate his victory.
"I am too young to have a drink, I am too young to drive so I will not be buying a car and I have not got a girlfriend who would like a present," he said.
"But this was my first chance to win a tournament, which I never thought would come so quickly and to do it is unbelievable. My first aim when I turned professional was to win enough money to keep my card for next year and I achieved that in September."
Manassero started the final round two shots behind overnight leader Gary Boyd of England. But at 16-under he eventually won by four shots from Spain's Ignacio Garrido who shot a 68 to reach 12 under.
Collapsed
Boyd collapsed in the final round with three poor drives starting on the 15th hole which led to him dropping four late shots and after a 74 he slipped back into a share of third place.
Joost Luiten (68) of the Netherlands and Ireland's Peter Lawrie (70) also finished with a share of third place at 11-under.
In Las Vegas, American Jonathan Byrd won the Las Vegas Open in spectacular fashion on Sunday, an ace at the fourth extra hole giving him a playoff victory over Britain's Martin Laird and Australian Cameron Percy.
Byrd, teeing off first, struck a six-iron at the par-three 17th that bounced once before disappearing into the cup.
"I thought I hit it too far, and I couldn't see anything," Byrd told reporters of his final shot of the tournament.
"To hear the reaction as it went in, I was just in shock. I was trying to be considerate of my playing partners because they had a chance to keep playing, and I didn't want to overreact. I'm numb pretty much."
PGA tour rookie Percy and defending champion Laird both ended up in water off the tee to hand Byrd the title in fading light at the TPC Summerlin.
The trio had finished the 72 regulation holes on 21-under-par 263. Byrd closed with a 68, defending champion Laird carded a 69 and PGA Tour rookie Percy returned a 67.
American Webb Simpson, who led by a shot after 16 holes before double-bogeying the 17th, fired a 68 to share fourth place with fellow American Spencer Levin (66).
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